SUNRISE, Fla. — The Devils are finding their own ways to lose leads late in games. They don’t need questionable calls from the referees contributing to their misery.

But that is exactly what they felt happened late in Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center when they lost another lead in the final seconds of regulation time and had to settle for one point.

Replays showed Panthers winger Scottie Upshall controlled the puck with a high stick before setting up the tying goal by Shawn Matthias with 27 seconds remaining in the third period. Florida went on to win the game on Dmitry Kulikov’s goal at 1:43 of overtime.

Twenty-four hours earlier, the Lightning tied the game with 15.1 seconds left in the third period and eventually won in a shootout in Tampa. Both times the tying goal was scored after the opposing goalie was pulled for an extra attacker.

"It’s tough. The boys are working really hard. We’re doing a lot of good things," goalie Martin Brodeur said. "It’s unfortunate we’re not able to close out games. Both times with less than 30 seconds we couldn’t get it done. After that we don’t win in overtime or shootouts.

"We keep getting points. That’s the only thing positive about it. Teams around us (in the standings) didn’t win, so that kind of makes it a little easier to take, but we’re going to need to start winning some hockey games here."

A three-game road trip ended with the Devils picking up just three of a possible six points.

"Sure they hurt. We’ve got to figure out a way to close these games out," coach Pete DeBoer said. "That’s the bottom line. We’re leaving some points on the table. You hope it doesn’t come back to bite you. We’ve got to learn from it."

A pair of goals from Steve Bernier, the second coming on a power play at 7:57 of the third, gave the Devils a 2-1 lead. They were seconds away from winning when the Panthers pulled goalie Jacob Markstrom for an extra skater and scored.

Upshall knocked the puck down at the left side of the crease, eventually sliding a pass to Matthias deep in the right circle for the goal. The goal was the second of the game for Matthias.

Brodeur felt the play should have been blown dead before the goal.

"Definitely. I’m sure the replay indicates better than what I saw, but from my eyes from where I was it looked like he hit in pretty high," Brodeur said. "I guess the referee didn’t think it was a high stick.

"I wasn’t really happy about his explanation. He was pretty vague, but they’re always right."

Bernier said: "I thought it was a little high stick on that play. I guess it’s not the crossbar anymore, it’s the shoulder."

Brodeur also felt the Devils should’ve had a power play with 7:03 remaining in the third period when his stick was chopped in half.

"That’s another call. (The referee) was right there," the goalie said. "I think because it didn’t break in half right away I don’t think he saw it. So when I turned around and tried to show him that it was broken I kind of snapped it myself. Another missed call there."

And another missed opportunity for the Devils to pick up valuable points.

Kulikov scored from the right circle at 1:43 of OT to end it.

"I think we have to find another level here," DeBoer said. "It seems like we’re still searching for that."

Right now, the key is to hold onto leads late in games.

"You don’t have an answer for it," DeBoer said. "Sometimes it’s a bounce. Sometimes it’s execution. I think we’ve gone months without getting scored on in that situation. When it rains it pours. We have to find a way to get the job done."